


lullaby

by sanmarie



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirates of the Caribbean Fusion, F/M, Inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean, Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:48:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28973847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanmarie/pseuds/sanmarie
Summary: mingi was born a pirate; it runs in the family. it was in his blood to sail the ocean and go on adventures, discovering new things. there are many tales about the ocean and creatures living in it, some friendly, but mostly dangerous. which made mingi wonder if the mermaid circling him at this very moment is a friend or a foe.
Relationships: Song Mingi/Reader
Kudos: 3





	lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> a pirate fic because Ateez sailed the way, duh. and also missing mingi hours are open so this is dedicated for our tiny big baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to help the visualization, I used Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides as a reference while writing this. hope it helps with the imagination, happy reading!

how did it end up like this? 

well, mingi _knows_ why but he just couldn't accept the reality. he could only stare in disbelief as his ship sailed away, leaving him in literally the middle of nowhere. it happened like a flash when the crews woke him up. he is the quartermaster of Jewel of Atlantis, but that title was immediately torn off of him when they harshly pulled his body to the deck and accused him of their bad luck. Jewel of Atlantis has sailed for almost three weeks without seeing any signs of the land after a storm raged one week into their journey. 

their captain was heavily injured after the storm, giving him the position to give orders. so mingi told them to sail west because if his predictions are correct, they got sidetracked way too far to the east because of the storm. days turned to weeks, as no sign of life was visible. they were starting to run out of supplies, and the crew grew impatient. they all worry that they have mistakenly entered a forbidden area of the eastern oceans, The Mermaid's Lair. according to the myth, once a ship sails into the area there is simply no way out. they would just sail in circles, and when exhaustion and dehydration took over, the creatures of the deep sea will lure them down. 

as a pirate, mingi knows that those creatures do exist. they were not myths, according to some lucky pirates that made it out alive from the lair to tell the story. but still, he can't believe that his crews believed that to get out of this area a sacrifice has to be made. since he was the one to blame, they all turned against him and threw him off the ship with only an empty barrel to hold on to. he cursed under his breath, holding on to the barrel. waves were slapping against his body, making him shiver in cold. he stared at the clear sky above, trying to read his position but failed to recognize the stars. whether it was because this is indeed The Mermaid's Lair, or he's starting to lose his mind, mingi doesn't know. 

he would only last a few days like this. with no food and water, he would simply die out of starvation and dehydration. his skin would probably burn under the scorching sun tomorrow morning, but that's a problem for the next hours. for now, he had to survive the night first. but how? or should he just let go of the barrel, and let his body sink down to the ocean floor? because even if mingi were to go somewhere, where to? there were no signs of land. the only thing he got is the clothes clinging to his body and the goddamn barrel. hell, he didn't even have his sword to protect himself in case something decides to make him their dinner. 

mingi held the barrel tighter when another round of waves comes by, harsher than before. not expecting it, his hands lost their grip on the barrel as he sunk underwater, trapped under the waves. he immediately tries to swim to the surface, giving his all. when he managed to reach the surface, though, the barrel was positioned around ten meters away from him. gritting his teeth, he swam towards it. one minute he was thinking to just give up, and now he found himself still trying to survive. guess no one actually wants to die, huh? 

he managed to reach the barrel, and hold onto it for dear life. he was drenched now, and the cold air only made him shiver. his knuckles were turning white, and he could feel his teeth clatter against each other. he regrets not eating his dinner earlier and went straight to bed. if he knew they would kick him out like this, at least they should've given him something to fill his stomach with. 

his train of thoughts was interrupted when he felt something brush against his feet. mingi froze, a predator is at the bottom of the list of things that he need now. he carefully held onto the barrel and inhales deeply, preparing to dunk his head underwater. when he did so and opened his eyes underwater, mingi's eyes went wide as he spotted a tail swimming in front of him. frantically mingi turns to the other side, trying to found out what it was but it was avail since there was _nothing_. 

is he starting to imagine things? because if that's so, then death is near. he returns to the surface and inhales the air his lungs craved and ran his fingers through his hair that was blocking his sight. when he opened his eyes again, though, he was stunned. right in front of him was another person, a girl, to be exact. mingi felt his blood went cold, not wanting to believe this. he blinked a few times, trying to convince himself that it was just his imagination. but when he still saw the girl there, he gulped. 

she was not just a girl. he is now facing the creatures of the myth, the mermaid herself. 

the mermaid started to circle around him, like a predator stalking its’ prey. mingi kept his eyes on her, trying his best to defend himself. he followed her movements, hands clinging tightly onto the barrel. her movements were slow and calculating, and mingi felt like she was mocking him because there is no way for him to escape. no matter what kind of fight he put on, he won't win against the mermaid in her own territory. it will only be a waste of time. 

he started to lose hope, as no solution came up in his brain. the mermaid stopped circling him, now only two meters apart. it's only a matter of time before she'll tear his body to pieces. as mingi loosened his grip on the barrel, accepting his damned fate, the mermaid spoke. 

"what did you do?" her voice was soft but steady, breaking the silence between them. mingi was clearly taken aback. why is she suddenly talking to him? and what does she mean by that question? mingi took too long to answer, for the mermaid spoke again. "are you mute?" 

this time, his brain could process the question better for mingi shook his head timidly. the mermaid then nodded her head slowly in understanding, "I see," she mumbled, "you're afraid of me. not a surprise." 

her words left mingi thinking. is he being afraid of her a good thing? or should he start to fight back? what does she even want? because if she plans to toy with him before killing him, mingi'd rather drown right now. 

"do you want to live?" mingi's eyes went wide at her question, not expecting it one bit. he studied her expression, wondering if this was just a joke. but her expression was still emotionless as ever, bright blue eyes gleaming in the dark of the night. in contrast to that, her long silvery-white hair flowed behind her. just like the myths, she is indeed _gorgeous_. gorgeous, but deadly. which made mingi wonder, why would this creature ask him that? shouldn't her kind despise humans so much to be able to just kill them in seconds? 

but if he was to be honest, mingi wants to live. there are still more to discover, more dreams to be fulfilled. he was ready to give them up a few minutes ago, but if help comes to him like this it would be a pity to throw it away. so mingi nodded. 

not saying a word, the mermaid's hand reached forward. her fingers were long and thin, her skin so pale that it looked inhuman. mingi could see the reflection of moonlight dancing upon her scales, and again, she is indeed beautiful. he doesn't know what her intentions are. but if she was really there to help him, mingi would gladly take it. he took her hand, expecting it to be as cold as ice, but was surprised at the warmth. her warmth spread through his skin, and then through his whole body. mingi didn't realize that he was shivering so bad already until he touched her.

she pulled him closer, and mingi let go of the barrel. she put his arms around her neck, and mingi tried to not lean too close to her. "try anything funny, and I'll drown you." she threatened, blue eyes staring at him. mingi nodded. he doesn't trust his mouth to speak for him yet, and not really having the energy to do so. he circled his hands around her neck, careful not to choke her. 

without saying anything else, she started to swim away at a speed only mermaids can achieve. they mostly swam underwater, but she came back to the surface so mingi could breathe. he doesn't know where does she plan to take him, and mingi tried his best not to lose consciousness. only then he realized he was shivering, but her warmth was helping him keep his eyes open. suddenly, she slowed down to spoke to him, "hold out, we're close." 

mingi knows he can't fully trust her yet, but those reassuring words are precisely what he needs right now. so mingi hold onto her, praying that she'll really help him. 

***

she didn't lie when she said they were close. as mingi looked around, he noticed an island in the distance. his heart felt relieved at the sight, and he sighed audibly. the mermaid noticed but said nothing. she only swam faster, knowing that he won't last longer in the water. 

with her incredible speed, they arrived by the shore in no time. she slowed down, and stopped fully to speak to him. "can you swim to the beach?" she asked, and mingi nodded. he still has the strength to swim for a few more meters. he doesn't feel like burdening her even more, since she has helped him more than he could imagine. so mingi let go of his hold around her neck, and started swimming to the beach. his body was all sore and tired, but upon seeing land he mustered all the strength he has left. then midway, he paused, realizing something. 

he turned to her, and speak for the first time in the night. "thank you." he said sincerely. the mermaid said nothing, only nodding back in silence. mingi turned around, swimming to the shore. as he stepped his feet on the beach, he only managed to walk a few more steps before dropping to the sand, exhaustion taking over. he still managed to look at the ocean, and right before he closes his eyes, he saw her tail disappearing into the water. 

***

mingi woke up to the sound of people speaking loudly around him. 

he slowly opened his eyes, as his mind process the sight in front of him. he passed out by the beach last night, so where is he now? was he taken in by the natives of this island? slowly he sat up, massaging his forehead in the process. they were throbbing like hell. 

"Hey, he's awake!" a voice shouted. "great. look what you've done, wooyoung." another voice piped in unamusedly. 

mingi took in their appearances. in front of him were three men, each of them wearing outfits alike to his. baggy shirts and breeches, and one of them had a vest on. the one with blue hair spoke first. 

"What is your name, and from which ship do you came from?" he asked, clearly not pleased of mingi's being. having no other choice, and no weapon to defend himself with and his head hurts like hell, mingi answered honestly. 

"wait, if you're mingi, then you are Jewel of Atlantis' quartermaster, no?" the blue-haired man asked again. mingi huffed, "not anymore." that title was torn off of him last night. his answer didn't please the other, as they clicked their tongue. 

"still, I don't like you. now off you go," he stared at him with squinted eyes, "I don't like pirates like you." he spat, and mingi stared back with the same venom. he may not have his weapon, but he can't just back down. he maybe could take them out in hand to hand combat. 

"is this island even yours?" he questioned, and the other snickered. " _is this island even yours_?" he mocked, and his two friends laughed along. mingi was about to retort back before a voice interrupted them. 

"Joong, stop it." 

their head all turned to the source of the voice, and mingi's eyes felt like they could jump out of its' sockets. he was sat under a tree near the beach, for he can still hear the waves crashing at the shore. they were in an open area, and this new person came from the direction of the beach. it is none other than the mermaid herself, but now she stood on two legs, wearing a simple white dress that goes down to her ankles. 

"y/n!" the blue-haired man shouted, and immediately rush to her. the other two followed, leaving behind mingi who was still on the ground, processing all this. they all crowded around her and greeted each other like old friends, making mingi more confused than before. 

"let him stay for a while," she said, and the other three gasped. "no!" they shouted, and mingi was frozen in place at an unfamiliar sound. she laughed. mingi couldn't believe his eyes. if she was already beautiful last night, her laughing face is heavenly. 

"can I talk to him first, at least?" she asked, and they hesitantly left. mingi could feel the daggers in their stare, but they left anyway. now the mermaid walked up to him and crouched down to his height. mingi leaned back in alert, not sure he could handle seeing her in such proximity. 

"How are you feeling?" in the daylight, he could see her face better. she was still as pale as he remembered, with her silvery-white hair tucked neatly behind her ears. her expression is not as emotionless as he remembered, though. she looked.. human. 

"better, I guess." mingi mumbled, unconsciously rubbing the back of his neck. "don't mind his words, Hongjoong hates most people outside this island, after all," she said, and mingi nodded slowly. so that blue-haired guy was hongjoong. he never heard of him before. 

"um, where am I now?" he asked, and she stood up. she motioned for him to follow her, and mingi got up slowly. he stumbled in his steps, his head still hurting. she suddenly reached her hand out and placed them on his temples. before mingi could ask her what she's doing, a wave of warmth approached his form. first, it was from his temples, then to his whole body just like last night. is this her power? the throbbing on his temples stopped, and he felt much better. his sore limbs also feel lighter now. 

"what was that?" he asked, and she finally let go of her hands. "let's say that I can share energy," she answered, then continued to walk away. mingi followed closely behind, his larger figure towered over hers. 

they walked in silence, hiking a bit, and stopped by a cliff. from there, mingi could see the beach and most part of the island. it wasn't a big one, and he doesn't remember ever mapping this island before. he watched as she sat by the cliff, legs hanging dangerously at such height. below her, the waves crashed against the shore. mingi stood still, admiring the view. 

"This is The Lost Island," she motioned at the island, "probably no one has mapped this before, because they're too afraid to sail around here. this is in the same area as what you pirates call The Mermaid's Lair." she continued, and mingi listened carefully. well, that makes enough sense. 

"your ship entered this area two weeks ago and hasn't found the way out since you keep going east instead of west," she explained, and mingi's brows furrowed. he clearly remembers giving the order to sail west. "the myth is true, once you sail this part of the ocean, there is no way out. that's what the mermaids do," she sighed, then turned to him. 

"I saved you because I disagree with my kind's beliefs. sure, humans are an annoying thread but not all of them should die. what's your name?" her sudden question took him aback, but he answered nevertheless. "mingi." 

she nodded, "y/n. you didn't answer my question last night, what did you do for them to throw you off like that?" so mingi explained to her what happened, saying his crews have lost their mind. by the end of his story, he saw her nodding to herself. "makes sense. humans are fragile creatures, after all." 

mingi mustered the courage to ask her a question that has been bugging his mind ever since his awakening, fixing his stance as he voiced them. "how do you know them?" 

they seemed close, like friends, even. which is strange since they are different kinds, and even though she mentioned that she disagrees with her kind's beliefs mingi still couldn't grasp the idea. she seemed surprised at his question, but mingi doesn't know that it was because he finally asks her something. 

"we're childhood friends," she replied simply. "well, only me and Joong actually before the others joined." mingi's furrowing brows only grew even deeper, as he tried to connect the dots. he ran his fingers through his red hair, deep in his thoughts. that's when out of nowhere, he saw something peeking out from the cliff below them.

at first, it was just one flag. then as it goes forward, mingi was stunned. it was a pirate ship, with dark sails that seem new since there was no sign of damage. he took a step forward to get a better view of it and was surprised to see quite a handful of crews running on decks, tying knots, and securing the cannons. and by the end of the ship, at the quarter-deck, stood the blue-haired man from before, named hongjoong. he was still wearing the same attire from before, but this time a tricorne sat on top of his head. on his shoulder perched a hawk, quite unusual for pirates. 

behind the wheels was also the man from before whose name he still doesn't know. he was almost as tall as him, wearing a simple white baggy shirt. this man looked up and waved at them with a big smile on his face. his kind features don't make him look like a pirate at all. 

"Hey, are you coming or no?" he shouted, gaining the other's attention. hongjoong turned to them as well, while the other one whose name was wooyoung (if mingi remembered it correctly) was nowhere to be seen. his eyes met hongjoong's, and the other snickered before averting his gaze. 

"only if you let him aboard," she answered from beside him, pointing at mingi. _what_? "as the sailing master, I approve of him. besides, I trust you, y/n." the man with black hair answered, and they all turned to hongjoong. obviously, the decision was in his hands. he rolled his eyes, before nodding his head. 

mingi watched as she turned to him, with an excited look on her face. "come, we'll be leaving and not coming back in a week." 

he was still unsure since he couldn't grasp the whole situation, but without waiting for his answer, she jumped down and landed safely in the sailing master's arms. she looked up as if waiting for mingi to follow suit. to be honest, mingi doesn't want to. he doesn't know what their motives for doing this, especially since the captain clearly showed his dislike of him. but mingi knew, that somehow, he can trust her. plus, she said they'll be leaving for a week and he doesn't know much about the area so it's best to travel with a companion, right? 

so he took a deep breath and jumped. it wasn't too high of a jump, but still, he braced himself for the impact. he landed perfectly on the quarter-deck, only now noticing the big cave underneath the cliff. it was ideal for docking, he guessed. dusting off the dust from his clothes, mingi took a step back when a hand reached out for him. he saw that it was the sailing master, still with a big smile on his face. 

"I'm yunho." he introduced himself, and although it's odd for most pirates to introduce each other so formally like this, mingi shook his hand. "mingi." 

as mingi looked around the big ship, he realized that there were not many crews. there were thirty people at max, which was kind of odd. but he ignored the fact, observing more from his surroundings. all of a sudden, hongjoong came and stood beside him, with his hawk eyeing mingi sharply. 

"I know she saved you, but still I don't trust you yet," he spoke, not sparing a glance at him. the taller between the two leaned on the railings, rubbing the back of his neck. "honestly, I don't know what to say to you. I don't know why she saved me, either." 

their gazes are now focused on the girl who's walking down the deck bare feet, smiling and cheering for the crews. they all seem to be close to her, despite her being a mermaid. or did they not know? 

"she's like a sister to me and this crew is my family. so if you're planning anything funny, I won't hesitate to kick you out." hongjoong said, finally turning to him. mingi sighed, nodding. he fought back the urge to say something because no matter what, they saved him. he knows that, and he should know his place. this is not his ship, he's just a guest staying for who knows how long. 

"where are we sailing, anyway?" he asked, hoping to slowly get answers. finally, they were on the right course, as he could feel the strong wind pushing the ship onward. the island started to look smaller behind them. hongjoong adjusted his tricorne, and the hawk on his shoulder fly off to the sky. "Utopia." 

mingi has heard of that place. a small town located at the eastern ocean, near the areas of The Mermaid's Lair. people hardly went there since there's nothing interesting there. no special resources, or something unique they can offer to the world. it's also hard to get there since no one has really mapped the eastern ocean, making it an obvious reason to not pay them a visit. he doesn't know there were pirates from that town. 

"what brings you there?" he pushed his luck, striking more answers. hongjoong didn't hesitate to answer, though. a soft smile finds its way to his face, "home." 

_home_. such simple words with a deep meaning. to some, home is the building where you and your family stay together. to others, it's anywhere with your loved ones. mostly, everyone agrees that home is where the heart is. mingi was born from a pirate family. but he never knew who his mother is, since his earliest memory of life is running on the deck of Jewel of Atlantis, playing tag with his late father. he had no other relatives other than the crews who just abandoned him last night. he cringed at the thought, it's not pleasant to remember at all. they were close, the captain even said he was like his son since his father, the previous quartermaster, was a dear friend of his. mingi doesn't know what kind of evil possessed them to throw him out so heartlessly like that. 

and so, he doesn't know where his home is. he never stayed in one city too long, most of his life was spent on the ship. mingi had his dreams to travel the world and find places he could only read in books, but he doesn't know if he still wants to do it now. come to think of it, he is unsure of what he should do. 

"you okay?" a hand patted his shoulder, and defensively mingi turned around and grabbed the hand. turns out it was yunho, who put his other hand up in surrender. mingi loosened his grip upon realizing it. "sorry." 

"it's okay. no one would be comfortable sailing with a crew they don't know," he answered. mingi peeked at the wheels and see another crew has taken control and watched as yunho leaned on the railings beside him. 

"you can ask me things, I'll answer as best as I can." he offered, and mingi's spirit raises up again at the opportunity. _finally_. "hongjoong said that he hates pirates, but aren't you guys pirate yourselves?" he strikes his first question, and yunho laughed. seeing him all bubbly like this really made him question if this man is here of his own will, or did hongjoong just drag him along? 

"we're not pirates. well, not the common ones. we don't raid cities and rampage other ships, we just go on adventures. hongjoong hates _those_ kinds of pirates." he answered. mingi nodded to himself, starting to connect the dots. so they're 'pirates' from Utopia, who sails through the ocean with no intention of ruling it and has a mermaid comrade. sure there's much to discover. 

"so everyone here is from Utopia?" he looked at the crews on the deck, busy walking from here to there doing their jobs. although, y/n was nowhere to be seen anymore. "not all. some joined us on the journey. there's not many of us, as you can see." 

so his assumptions were kind of correct. "and what about her?" mingi strikes the final question, and watched as a fond smile reached yunho's lips. it was alike to when hongjoong mentioned home. the black-haired man's eyes glinted in adoration. 

"she's an old friend. I met her and hongjoong when I was fifteen. she.. is one of a kind. mermaids despise humans a lot, but she didn't. well, not against us, at least." yunho shrugged, then mingi watched as his eyes light up as if he just saw something interesting. he followed his stare, and saw that it was focused on the said girl. she has returned to the deck, now leaning dangerously close to the edge of the ship. 

"she joins us on adventures, saying she wants to see the world and wants to prove to her kind that not all humans are dangerous." 

mingi and yunho watched as she let herself fall off the ship, but no one panicked. they continued with their activities as if it was something normal. well, it probably was. mingi founds himself walking to the sides, curious. yunho followed behind him, and they both stared in awe at her, now in her mermaid form swimming below them. 

"don't get left behind!" yunho shouted, and she turned to them. rolling her eyes, she waved them off and dove into the water. 

mingi watched the whole thing in amazement. he didn't notice it last night, but her mermaid form looks unreal. she had golden scales, which sparkles brightly under the sun. it was so contrasted to last night, under the moonlight. 

"so, she just hops on and off whenever she likes?" mingi questioned further. "most of the time, yes. she's a mermaid, after all. the ocean is where she belongs." 

mingi watched as her form resurfaced to the water, before diving right back in. he would be lying if this doesn't mesmerize him. 

"do you have an idea why she saved me?" mingi asks but pondered the question most to himself. he doesn't understand it yet. she even asked him to come along to Utopia. 

"to be honest, no. but if I can suggest you, don't think too much of it. she has a big heart in that little body and it's just her thing to help others." yunho shrugged, walking down the quarter-deck, heading for the captain's cabin. he motioned for mingi to follow him, and so mingi did. "she has been following your ship for quite a while, actually. you guys could've been dead if it wasn't for her." 

mingi was visibly confused. now what, she's been following them? for what? 

"obviously to protect you guys from other mermaids." a voice suddenly piped in the conversation, and mingi noticed hongjoong leaning against the door to his cabin. he was listening to their conversation the whole time. hongjoong didn't look pleased. "it's been quite a long time since a ship got lost in this area, so she just wanted to make sure nothing bad happens. what I didn't expect is for her to bring you all the way here." 

hongjoong walked inside his cabin, and yunho followed with mingi close behind him. so far, mingi thinks he can trust yunho a bit. at least he's not as salty as hongjoong. 

The captain's cabin is spacious. mingi could spot a bed at the corner of the room, hidden behind dark blue drapes. in the center of the room was a large worktable, with many documents spread upon it along with maps, a telescope, and an hourglass. hongjoong stood before them, rummaging through the maps. there were comfortable chairs around the room, making it seem warm and comfortable. plus, mingi noticed a piano at the corner of the room. hongjoong didn't do much to decorate his cabin, yet mingi liked the atmosphere. it was in contrast to his old captain's, whose room was really messy. that old man had no time organizing his stuff. 

"The mapping for this area is wrong," mingi was lost in his own world admiring hongjoong's cabin, that he didn't notice they were discussing something. he walked closer and noticed it was the map of the western ocean, an area mingi knows all too well. hongjoong was pointing at a coordinate around The Shipwreck Cove, and mingi noticed that it wasn't the right spot. 

"The Shipwreck Cove is ten degrees to the north," he spoke, breaking the silence. his fingers pointed at the map, correcting it. hongjoong was about to retort, but yunho stopped him by holding his arm. they watched as mingi corrected the locations of many spots, and added the empty ones. he did it with little effort, something that could only be achieved by years and years of practice and experience. 

it only took him two minutes to finish the map. 

"I thought you were the quartermaster?" yunho spoke for hongjoong, since his captain had quite an ego. mingi nodded. "I was, but I learned a lot from our sailing-master since I was a kid." 

and so he and yunho got deeper on the topic of maps, while hongjoong left his cabin with a scowl on his face. yunho said to let him be because that's how hongjoong is. mingi just followed what he said, and continued his discussion with yunho regarding the mapping and sailing routes, finding out that they don't know much about the western ocean. it's the total opposite of him, so without realizing it mingi got lost in this work, finally able to take his mind off of the unanswered questions in his head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ik I said I'll mostly write one-shots since I won't have the time to write something long like muse, but the idea for this one is really good in my head, and without noticing it reached 5000 words and it's only the introduction. I enjoyed writing it though and I hope you guys enjoy reading it too. please wait for future chapters, maybe try reading my other works :D there's a yunho fic (HP AU) and san fic (college AU). thankyou for stopping by! :)


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